Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Buffalo Grove police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 6:25 PM Tuesday to a report of a leaking railroad car on the Canadian National railroad tracks behind a building at 1067 Johnson Drive Buffalo Grove, Illinois.. Police and firefighter/paramedics received a report that a railcar was leaking non-odorized liquid petroleum gas (LPG) with a possible hissing noise.

Engine 26 crew on arrival reported they were investigating the railroad car.

Battalion 4 requested that Wheeling officials be notified because the train was now heading south toward Wheeling. At 6:29 p.m. the train was reported to be moving again -- apparently before firefighters had a chance to adequately investigate the railroad car.

Buffalo Grove firefighters were not able to confirm whether the railroad car was leaking.

The train was stopped across Dundee Road about 7:00 p.m. Apparently, Northwest Central Dispatch handling the Buffalo Grove call, was able to get Canadian National to stop their train.

Wheeling police responded to traffic complaints when the train was blocking Dundee Road. Wheeling's police dispatcher reported to Wheeling police units that the train was leaking some kind of non-odorous liquid "I don't know what it is."

LPG, also known as propane gas, is highly flammable and dangerous to inhale in large quantities. Added odorant is a safety precaution that helps warn people in the area that a release of gas has occurred. There are cases when odorant is not added or the odorant fades in the mixture, which causes an unsafe situation. In July 2010, and electrician was killed and seven people were injured when an LPG tank leaking non-odorized LPG leaked at a condominium complex under construction in Norfolk, Massachusetts.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recommends that all LPG transported in rail tank car tanks or cylinders be odorized.

No hazmat alarms were were elevated, and traffic and railroad tracks in the area were clear by 8:30 p.m. Apparently no leak was detected or confirmed.

None of Buffalo Grove's or Wheeling's police or fire agencies use Twitter or Facebook to alert citizens of area emergencies or traffic conditions.

On Monday in a separate incident, Route 22 east of Prairie Road in Buffalo Grove was blocked due to a stalled train Monday afternoon. The Village of Buffalo on its official Twitter account alerted citizens of the traffic situation on Monday.